We were just about to sit down to dinner last Saturday night when my boyfriend grabbed his car keys.

“I’ll be right back,” he said. “I forgot something important.”

My stomach growled. We’d spent the better part of the early afternoon making chili, and it had been simmering on the stove the rest of the day. It smelled so good, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the large pot of savory goodness.

But no…now I had to wait for whatever was so important we could not eat dinner without it.

The Frito-Lay company must have a marketing mastermind at the helm. You have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of the “Do Us A Flavor” campaign, where consumers come up with new flavors of Lay’s potato chips.

My kids and I heard the commercial in the car not too long ago, and they went wild trying to dream up flavors. Among their entries were “cookie dough” and “pork chop” (don’t ask…I have no idea). I thought maybe a fajita chip would be tasty.

One of the chips they already have (it might have come out of this contest last year) is Cheesy Garlic Bread. Hashtag #delicious. Hashtag #eatmorechips. Hashtag #nomnom. Hashtag #crunchy. (Clearly I’ve been watching too much Jimmy Fallon.)

We bought two bags initially, and I figured the three of us would share them. Guess who only got one chip?

You know, one of those crazy races where you swim, bike and run intense distances and still finish standing?

He swears by Clif Bars for a snack or even a meal replacement.

Clif Bars are basically organic energy bars. Granola bars, if you will, but so much more. They’re packed with all-natural protein and other good stuff.

According to their website, “As a food company, we play a critical role in helping to create a more just and sustainable use of the planet’s resources. The food we make connects us to the environment as well as to a complex network of people and organizations, including farmers, distributors and the people who eat our food. Through these connections and working with our trusted partners such as like-minded businesses, non-profit organizations and experts at the forefront of transforming our food system, Clif Bar is able to make strides in sustainability. Working and learning together, we continue to look for ways to reduce our impact on the environment and share with each other on this journey.”

So, not only do Clif Bars meet your nutritional needs, they take care of our planetary needs, too.

Asian food is one of my all-time favorite cuisines. It’s mostly healthy, light and easy to cook. I make a lot of dishes with rice, substituting brown rice for white rice, but I’ve also been experimenting with noodle dishes lately as well.

I love udon noodles, which are thick, buckwheat noodles, but I’ve also become a huge fan of udon’s lighter cousin, soba.

Soba noodles are also made out of buckwheat and resemble a thin spaghetti. Commonly found in Japanese cooking, soba noodles can be served cold with a dipping sauce or hot in a soup.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain; rinse to cool and set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper. Cook until charred in spots, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice steak against the grain.

Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Add to vegetables; bring to a simmer. Fold in scallion greens and reserved almonds and noodles. Serve steak with noodle stir-fry.

I’m not usually big on sweets, but there’s one treat in the Brookshire’s bakery I cannot resist: Sweet P Cookies.

You know those big, soft, fluffy sugar cookies with the thick topping of frosting and usually sprinkles? Yes, those.

We just had some for Valentine’s Day, with pink icing and a blanketing of heart-shaped jimmies. Brookshire’s has them for pretty much every holiday and even all the days in between. Pastels for Easter, patriotic colors for the Fourth of July, orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas and fun colors for every time in between.

My boys love these cookies. Every time I bring a box home, which come in a package of 10, they’re gone within a few days. I limit myself to one at a time, but I could probably make a meal out of them.

They’re also great for school parties and to brighten up dreary days at the office.

I eat at my desk and work through lunch 99 percent of the time, and I generally pack leftovers from dinner the night before. Honestly, I get tired of being the one to clean out the fridge and eat the leftovers, so occasionally I peruse Brookshire’s for something out of the ordinary for me.

Last week, I discovered Amy’s Enchilada Verde meal. They’re in the frozen section, but if you took this dish out of its microwavable tray and put it on a porcelain plate, you’d never know it was once frozen!

Amy’s offers a wide selection of organic frozen foods, from burritos to pizzas to pot pies and Indian meals!

I tried the Enchilada Verde because it boasted two of my favorite things: spinach and cheese.

Grits are one of those things that I’d heard about growing up but never tasted. My mom didn’t like them, so logically, we never really had grits around the house (although, she also hated lima beans but we still ate those).

So, when I finally did taste them, I had a “where have you been all my life?” moment.

Grits are basically ground corn. Native American in origin, they’re commonly eaten as a “porridge” type of breakfast food. (Is anyone else flashing to Goldilocks?) They’re also popular in Southern cooking. Modern grits are commonly made of alkali-treated corn known as hominy.

All that to say, they’re delicious!

Grits come in different varieties. There are some quick-cooking versions and some that take a tad bit longer to cook. There are even “instant” varieties that cook in a minute or two in the microwave. They also come in flavors, like butter.

I tend to use the quick-cooking type, and I add my own butter, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese for a delicious warm breakfast dish.

I also love grits at other times of the day, like at dinner. I tried this recently and it was a huge hit in my house.

Couscous (pronounced koose-koose) is made from tiny grains of pasta and is a staple of cuisines around the world.

Near East makes couscous that only takes minutes to cook on your stovetop and provides 8 grams of protein per serving.

It comes in so many flavors, too! Of course, there is original. My favorite is Parmesan, but there’s also Broccoli and Cheese, Mediterranean Curry, Herbed Chicken, Toasted Pine Nut, Tomato Lentil, Mushroom and Herb, and more.

Couscous is a great side dish to pork chops, steak, chicken and seafood, or it’s great in cold salads, too.

I’ve been at my current job almost three months now, three months of torture several times a week as my co-workers carry brown paper bags into the newsroom at lunchtime.

The aromas drifting from those bags are nothing less than heavenly.

Finally, I just asked and was told that there was a little Thai restaurant about two blocks from our office building that is pretty much frequented by EVERYONE who works downtown, plus more. I was also told to call at least an hour in advance if I wanted food because this tiny restaurant stays so busy.

Once I tried it, I knew why the wait was so long! The owners are from Thailand, so the food is as authentic as it comes.

I’d rather go eat there, but when I’m at home, it’s fun to make my own Thai food, too.

One of the ingredients in a lot of Thai cooking is red curry paste.

Red curry paste is basically a blend of roasted red chilies, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, onion, tomato and some other seasoning to make a very flavorful blend. It’s spicy, so you can adjust the amount you use in recipes as needed. You’ll find it with the other Asian foods on your Brookshire’s grocery shelves!